Ive Šubic: Dražgoše battle, mosaic

The Dražgoše battle was a Second World War battle between Slovenian partisans and German occupation army and police, which took place between January 9 and January 11, 1942, in the village of Dražgoše, some 40 km NW from Ljubljana. This battle was the first direct confrontation of the war between the two.

Fighting (both numerically and equipment-wise) vastly superior Germans the partisan Cankar's Battalion (numbering 240 combatants) suffered nine casualties throughout the entire battle. German forces (numering ~2000 men) suffered more than one hundred casualties.

After three days of fighting, the partisans were forced to flee the village. German troops executed 35 male civilians, houses were looted and the village was set on fire. When the fires died down, the Germans demolished the entire village, the remaining villagers were rounded up and sent to concentration camps.

Dražgoše became a legend for the Slovenes, as Lidice became for the Czechs, Orandour for the French, and Marzzobotto for the Italians. After the war, the village was rebuilt, and a monument was set up in memory of the civilian victims and fallen fighters. The original modest ceremony on the anniversary of the battle grew and became a major commemoration that included sport, recreation, cultural, and other events.

For the celebration of the 66th anniversary of the Dražgoše battle, members of Radioclub Škofja Loka activated special callsign: S566D, which was on the air till the end of March 2008. All QSOs were confirmed with a QSL card.

QSL is OK via the bureau. For direct request please SASE with 1IRC or 2GS. Log was uploaded to LoTW.

Address: Radioclub Škofja Loka, P.O. BOX 512, SI-4220 Škofja Loka, Slovenia

E-mail: s59dkr (at) hamradio (dot) si

Monument to dražgoše battle